Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-14
RAMBLES In JAPAN.
A VISIT TO THE CITY OF KIOTO
AND LAKE BIWA.
undermining Ancient Landmarks
Hailing the Spring-A Pine Tree
with Supposed History.
Ispecial RrcoRD-uxroN Correspondence

Especial REcoRD-UNIoN Correspondence
KIcTo, April 3, 1887.
The first evening in Kioto showed me as
pretty picture as have yet seen. 1t was
dark, and / had gone to the house of
japanese whom l knew, but the kssseaa
man. mistaking the number, took me to 8
place near by. / entered the yestibule, and
the shoji being pushed aside, l saw num-
Der of japanese men and women seated
about huge fire-box boz with books in
their hands. Sitting with them and read
ing was priest dressed in the simple black
robe always worn when not officiating. He
came forward and spoke in French to me,
and then in English. He knew my friend,
who had gone to Toxic; so l talked lit
tie with him. Here lu his home, with no
mark about it to distinguish it from the
surrounding houses, save his name at the
gate, he holds service, has his classes, and
works quietly and surely, living as the
people and among them, not holding him
self aloof, not condescending but going
with. He does not complain of discom-
forts, but makes his love for his labor sup
port him. This picture, coming so soon
after the European life / had seen in Kobe
among his rival workers in the same field,
taught me lesson which | wish others
could profit by.
CRITICISM UPON MISSIONARIES.
1t is fact that missionaries have lived
here in Japan for more than year with
out eating a Japanese meal, without hav
ing slept but once under the Japanese
-futoas, and living most of that time in a
large school, had not taken interest enough
in the life about them as to know how the
pupils bath was heated. These are little
things but they make sum total of a
great deal. When man says, as one did,
that none can be q Christian so long as
they sit on the floor; when these supposed
followers of the Great Teacher go upon
their missions with servants and noun
tain of luggage and then preach the gospel
of Him who had not where to lay his
head. when their own creature comforts
hold SO prominent place in all proceed
ings, what possible chance is there for
them to hold their ground against the man
who works in the way of this good father
whom met this evening? They tell me
that by living well and with all these
home luxuries they show the people
WHAT A CHRISTIAN HOME Is LIKE.
1t is a poor excuse, indeed, and, if really
believed, simply shows that there are peo-
pie who cannot separate Christianity from
tables, chairs, knives and forks. A Chris
tan home, in its surroundings, is neither
European, Asiatic, American nor African
alone; it is where loving mothers heart
beats, be it beneath kimono or corset, as
when the day is done, the husband whom
she honors and obeys, the children whom
she loves and leads assemble about the fire
box, the hearth, or the burning peat. All
the bric-a-brac or finger bowls or silver
forks in the world will never teach the
beauty of that home. Contented with the
bare necessities of life, taking up the cross
and following Him, selling what can be
done without and relieving the wants of
the poor about you, remembering that
Christ was healer; that He lived among
the poor as well as rich, and reached many
heart through good deed done the body,
following the sermon on the mount, is the
true missionary. Many there are, and God
bless them in their work.
THE CITY OF KIoTo.
Kioto is city of palaces, and has quar-
ter Of million inhabitants, but it is the
past of Kioto, which overlighting the pres
ent, gives the traveller food for wonder
So woefully tired have | become of these
palaces and temples that l would willingly
give up all the splendor of this ancient
capital for sight of green fields, only ]
feel 1t to be a duty to visit them now that
am SO near. My first wonder at the enor.
nous age of Japanese buildings is gradu.
ally evaporating and with good reason. Fol
instance, / am told that this Royal Palace
was built over a thousand years ago, an6
after l have sufficiently marveled / am
informed that it was burned to the ground
for Int ~ 4
it a relic of antiquity, and l marvel again
only to be told of another total destruction
and so on through ten or more until the
actual date of the palace is brought down
TO 1855, not much younger than the San
Francisco postotfice. Perhaps you are
shown TO a weather-worn stone and told
with evident pride that it is over thous.
and years old; Of course it is, and would be
even if had been left where nature placed
1t, and | wish it had been.
MORE MoDERYIZING THE ANCIENT.
The inclosed grounds OF the palace con-
tain twenty-six acres, nearly all covered
or once covered, by buildings full of the
richest and Oldest works of art. ! was
pointed to cherry tree planted by MINI
mic in $40, but this thouSand-year- old fruit
tree, it seems, has been renewed and the
present tree planted by Nimmion was
this system is perfectly legitimate, see no
reason why the Golden Gate Park should
not have Adams apple tree from the Gar
den of Eden or that of the father of his
country.
The other night as sat in the dim light
of The lantern waiting for bed and bedtime
10 come, solemn figure entered nv room,
and kneeling before me struck its forehead
three times to the floor repeating at each
obeisance the name Washington Wash
ington Washington !" Il was, indeed
taken by surprise, but l recovered in time
to reply in the same stately manner No.
bunaga Nobunaga Nobunagarn much
TO the evident satisfaction of the figure,
which, after surveying me for some time,
took leave after again repeating the name.
was at first inclined to think this appari-
ton of political significance predicting nv
speedy elevation TO the Presidential chair
at Washington, but the girl who brought
my futon bedding, etc. told me it was the
hosts son who had read great deal and
had come to pay his compliments to me as
an American. / am glad that am not to
be President, though should like to be a
Custom-house Inspector until / could get a
few crates of this beautiful porcelain and
these embrolderies into our we'll" protect
ed" country.
CELEBRATING SPRING.
In the grounds of the Teniin-sama were
crowds of people in holiday attire, it being
the celebration of the beginning of spring
the white flag OF Japan, with Its red disk,
was floating over every doorway in Town,
and the respondent obieS 1.-THE broad sashes
worn by women) of the young girls made
the whole city seem indeed like spring. In
the grounds of this temple were many
statues OF reclining oxen some of them
beautifully executed in bronze mottled or
black marble, and one especially, evidently
quite. new carved in gray granite, looked
as soft as velvet the best work | have vet
seen in Japan. The huge stone lanterns
which are found by thousands in all the
temples and graveyards of the country,
have frame of wood, covered with paper
made to fit the openings. When the light
is within, host of these monsters beneath
the shadows of a pine grove is very effective
and quite startling when suddenly come
upon around some dark corner. From the
garden of the kinkakuji a hill is visible
which the Mikado Ida one hot summer
day had covered with white silk that he
might enjoy cool scene. There was once
French Louis who did about the same
thing, but not TO please himself, which GER
talnly shows good point in the idiotic act